Fruit cleaner and grader.



, PATENTED MAR. 29, 1904 E. H. RICHARD ON; J. KIMBALL. FRUIT CLEANER ANDGRADBR.

APYLIOATION FILED JAN. 25, 1902.

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No. 755,937. PATENTED MAR. 29, 1904. E. H. RICHARDSON & P. J; KIMBALL.

FRUIT CLEANER AND GRADER.

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. A 7T0RNEY APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1902.

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CO FHOTQ-l ITHKL, WASHINGTON D THE NORRIS PETERS No. 755,937. PATENTEDMAR. 29, 1904. E. H. RICHARDSON & P. J. KIMBALL.

FRUIT CLEANER AND GRADBR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1902.

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' A TTOHNE) 5M K45 7 541A 29 WITNESSES I No. 755,937. PATENTED MAR.29,1904.

E. H. RICHARDSON & F. J. 'KIMBALL.

FRUIT CLEANER AND GRADER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1902.

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Patented March 29, 1904.

PATE T OFFICE.

EARL HOLMES RICHARDSON, OF NORTH ONTARIO, AND FRANK JAMES KIMBALL, OFLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FRUIT CLEANER AND GRADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,937, dated March29, 1904:.

7 Application filed January 25, 1902. Serial No. 91,184. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, EARL HOLMES RIGH- ARDSON, of North Ontario, in thecounty of San Bernardino, and FRANK J AMES KIMBALL, of the city of LosAngeles, in the county of Los Angeles, in the State of California, haveinvented a certain new and useful Fruit Cleaner and Grader, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description or specification,reference being had to the annexed sheets of drawings and to the lettersmarked thereon.

Our said invention, which relates to a machine for brushing or cleaningand grading or sizing fruit in respect of that part thereof whichbrushes or cleans the fruit, is capable of being operated in twodistinct modes of movement of pairs of traveling belts carrying brusheswhich are inclined toward each other transversely, as hereinafterdescribed.

In respect of the brushing and cleaning of fruit our machine isespecially applicable for removing from the fruit treated therein scale,

smut, or parasite which has accumulated upon the fruit during the timeof its growth and before being removed from the trees upon which it hasgrown. The belts-of brushes constituting each pair of cleaningbelts mayeither be operated in opposite directions of travel of each brush ofeach pair of brushes at the same speed or at different speeds, or eachpair of belts of brushes may be operated in the same direction either atthe same speed or at different speeds. When the brushes operate inopposite directions, then the pulleys which drive the brush-belts aredriven by a crossed belt for the purpose of imparting reversed directionof rotation to the driving shafts and pulleys which operate thebrushbelts. When the brush-belts operate in the same direction, theshafts and pulleys which cause their movement are driven in one and thesame direction ofrotation by an open belt as distinct from a crossedbelt, the variations in speed of the movements of the brushes when movedin either direction being effected by using driving and driven pulleysof different diameters, as is well understood, according tothe'variation in rates of travel of the brushes.

The cleaning and brushing machine consists of a rectangular framing, inthe upper part of which there are carried the rotating shafts andpulleys for operating the pairs of traveling belts, each belt of each ofwhich pairs of belts travels in opposite directions when the machine isoperated in one mode and each of which belts of each pair of beltstravels in the same direction when operated in the other mode; but themachine itself is identical under both modes of its operation.

The pairs of brushes are driven by pulleys carried upon driving-shafts,which rotate in bearings. The bearings of one of these shafts areattached to the stationary framing of the upper part of the machine, andthe bearings of the other shaft are attached to carryingarms, which whenlifted or moved upward through a circular path whose center is the axleor shaft carried in bearings fixed to the framing of the machine may,together with the pulleys at the outer end of the carryingarms and theaforesaid brushes, be raised upward at an angle and be separated to anyrequired extent from the under brush or brushes of the machine, ashereinafter more fully set forth. By means of this arrangement thetraveling brushes are not only capable of being supported angularlyabove the fixed brush or brushes, (which consist either of one or moreflat brushes carried in the manner hereinafter described) but facilityis thereby afforded for removing any fruit which may accidentally becomepressed, held, or retained by any of the brushes, and facility is alsoafforded by this arrangement for at all times inspecting the severalbrushes for ascertaining their condition or state of wear and to repair,remove, or replace such brushes whensoever required. Each pair oftraveling belts or bands, with the transversely-inclined travelingbrushes on the outer surface thereof, has the brushes of each pair ofbelts or bands of brushes so attached that a triangular spacetransversely is formed or inclosed by or between each pair of belts orbands of traveling brushes and the flat brush or brushes constitutingthe under or fixed brush or brushes for supporting the fruit, andthrough this triangular space the fruit to be brushed or cleaned passesby the traveling action of the moving brushes from the feeding to thedischarging end of the machine.

It is to be understood that the under flat brush or brushes, which is orare preferably stationary, is or are carried elastically upon pneumaticbearings consisting of elastic tubes filled with air compressed to anydesired extent and supported upon a framing with vertical adjustment forthe purpose of regulating distances between the stationary under brushor brushes and the traveling upper brush or brushes.

The upper part of the machine is provided with a box or casing toprevent the scale, dust, and dirt, or parasite while being removed fromthe fruit from being scattered around the machine, and to prevent thescale, dust, dirt, or parasite brushed or cleaned from the fruit frombeing thus scattered the entire machine, so far as is practicable, isboxed in or incased and provided with an exhaust-fan or the mechanicalequivalent thereof for freeing or exhausting the scale, dirt, orparasite and delivering it into a duct leading to any place orreceptacle for collecting and preventing the spread of the same.

For the purpose of facilitating the removal of scale, dirt, dust, orparasite which at times adheres very closely and tightly to the surfaceof the fruit being brushed or cleaned one or more sprays of water may beintroduced into or upon and between the brushes, thus rendering theremovalof the scale, dust, dirt, or parasite in some cases more easilyeffected than when using the machine with the fruit in the drycondition.

The machine constituting our invention is provided with mechanism forgrading the fruit as it is delivered into the brushing and cleaning partthereof, all as hereinafter described with reference to the annexeddrawings.

Both the moving and the stationary brushes may be placed horizontally orvertically, or they may be placed to operate on an inclined plane.

Upon the annexed drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, partly insection, showing the brushing and cleaning part of our improvedmechanism and the means for exhausting out of the machine the scale,dust, dirt, or parasite removed therefrom, but without the covering orcasing of the upper part thereof, and arranged with the brushes of eachpair traveling in opposite directions. Fig. 2 is a part plan and parthorizontal section corresponding to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevationof our improved machine looked at when the upper brushes and the framingwhich carries one of the shafts, together with the brushes, is raisedupward out of the operative position and corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2.Fig. 4 is a transverse section, on a larger scale, of three pairs of thetraveling belts and the transversely-inclined brushes carried upon thesaid belts. Fig. 5 is aside elevation, partly in section, of the wholeof our improved fruit brushing and cleaning, feeding, and gradingmechanism, partly broken through in length. Fig. 6 is a plan of the feedmechanism and the grader shown upon an enlarged scale Fig. 7 is a sideelevation of the feeding and grading mechanism on the same scale as Fig.6. Fig. 8 is aside elevation, partly in section, showing the brushingand cleaning part of our machine,

wherein each pair of brushes is arranged tooperate in the samedirection, but at different speeds. Fig. 9 is a plan, partly inhorizontal section, corresponding to Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is an end elevationof our improved machine corresponding to Figs. 8 and 9 looked at endwisewith the upper brushes and the frame which carries one of the shaftstogether with the brushes raised upward out of the operative position.

With reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4;, and 5 of the annexed drawings, inwhich the brushes of each pair travel in opposite directions, theframing of the machine is marked A, and it consists of the upright endbars A, carrying the longitudinal bars B at the upper part thereof, asshown. Upon one end of these bars B there are carried the fixed bearingsC for the driving-shaft D, and at the opposite end of the bars B thereare carried the ad justable bearings E of the other or driven shaft D,as shown at Fig. 1. Upon the drivingshaft D there is carried the maindriving-pulley F. which is operated by means of a belt from anydriving-shaft or prime mover. The several arrows upon the several partsof the mechanism indicate the direction of movement of the several partsof the mechanism throughout the figures of drawings. Upon thedriving-shaft D there are mounted six pulleys G, H, I, J, K, and L,respectively. Of these pulleys those marked G and I are keyed to thedriving-shaft D, while those marked H and J revolve loosely upon thedriving-shaft D, and those marked K and L are one keyed and the other isloosely rotative upon the driving-shaft D. Upon the opposite shaft Dthere are mounted six similar pulleys, respectively marked G, H, I, J,K, and L, and of these pulleys those marked H and J are keyed to theshaft D, while the pulleys marked G and I and those marked K and L areone keyed and the other loose upon the shaft D. Upon one end of each ofthe shafts D and D there are keyed two belt-pulleys L and M,respectively, over and upon which the crossed driving-belt N passes ortravels and transmits motive power, as is well understood. and, being acrossed belt, while the pulley M is driven in one direction the pulley Lis driven in the opposite direction. By means of this arrangement it isobvious that each pair of brushes, consisting of the belts and inclinedbrushes 0 and O, P and P, Q

and Q, respectively, is or are driven in op posite directionsthat is tosay, while the brush 0, the brush P, and the brush Q of each pair movein one direction the brushes 0, P, and Q of each pair move in oppositedirections, and by varying the diameters of the pulleys M and L,respectively, the brushes 0 O, P P, and Q Q of each pair of brushes maybe caused while moving in opposite directions to also move withdifferent rates of travel, so that the fruit which enters between thebrushes from the delivery-ducts Y Y is most effectively brushed orcleaned by not only being brushed simultaneously in opposite directions,but also by the variation in movement both in direction and velocity orrate by each pair of brushes O O, P P, Q and Q causing the fruit to beexposed at every part of its surface to the brushing or cleaning actionof the machine. The under brushes P of the machine are carried uponelastic tubes R and slat-s S after the manner set forth in theapplication for Letters Patent of Swan and Richardson previously appliedfor, Serial No. 46,733, and need not, therefore, be herein furtherdescribed. The vertical adjustment ofthe under brush is also similar tothat set forth in the aforesaid application of the said Swan andRichardson by means of the vertical screws T. (Shown more especially inFig.

In order to prevent as much as possible scale,

dust, dirt, or parasite removed from the fruit being scattered about apacking-house or other place of inclosure where our saidcleaning-machine is used, the machine is incased by a wooden or othercasing, (marked U in the drawings,) and this casing is also applied tothe upper part of the machine so as to inclose completely the travelingbrushes, as shown more especially at Fig. 5, and when it is de sired tomove or lift up all the pairs of brushes to the position shown at Fig.3-that is to say, upon the axis or shaft D-then the upper coveringhead U(shown in Fig. 5) is first of all removed by simply lifting it olf theupper part of the machine, and when in operation, the several parts ofthe mechanism being inclosed as hereinbefore stated, the exhaust-fan V,which may be an exhaust-fan of any suitable construction, pulls orexhausts the scale, dust, dirt, onparasite from the machine and casingand discharges it through the discharge V of the fan-casing V, (shownmore particularly at Fig. 1, wherein a portion of the boxing orincasement -U of the machinery is broken away in order to show the saidfan,) which is driven by means of a cord or belt from the grooveddriving-pulley K. (More especially shown at Figs. 2 and In order tograde the fruit which is to be brushed and cleanedin the machinehereinbefore described, the feeding end of the machine in addition tothe feeding mechanism itself is provided with grading-rollers anddeliveryducts, as shown more particularlyin the enlarged views, Figs. 6and 7, wherein there are three deliveryducts corresponding to the threesets of traveling brushes shown at Figs. 1,2, and 3 of the drawings.Thefeedingrollers W and X, respectively, are arranged so as to rotate inthe feed-hopper Y Y. The roller W is carried in bearings W W, supportedupon the edges of the hopper Y, and the rollerX is similarly carried inbearings X X. At the upper part of the hopper there is shown the box offruit, (marked Z,) from out of which the fruit to be cleaned and brushedis allowed to gradually fall and pass under the feed-roller 6 b, asshown more particularly at Fig. 6. The feed-roller is constructed oflessdiameter at its central part b 5 than at its ends a a and rotates in theopposite direction to that in which the fruit 0 0 moves from out of thebox Z, so that the fruit 0 0 in passing beneath that part of thefeed-roller 66 by the action of gravity collects against thegradingroller WV W. The gradingroller W V is raised or lowered by thehand-screws. d (Z a suflicient distance above the bottom of the hopper Yto allow all but the largest fruit to pass beneath theroller W W, andthis largest fruit then passes down the hopper Y into the feed-duct Y.'The fruit 0 which passes beneath the roller W W moves toward the rollerX, and thatpart of the fruit 0 which is too large to pass beneath theroller X moves down the hopper Y into the feed-duct Y, while thesmallest fruit, which passes beneath the roller X, runs down the hopperY into the middle feed-duct From the feed-ducts Y Y Y the graded fruitpasses and enters into the space between the stationary and moving beltsof brushes at the feeding end of the machine.

With reference to our new or improved machine for brushing and cleaningfruit operated in the other mode to that hereinbefore described andshown on the preceding figures of the drawings, it is here explainedthat with reference'to Figs, 8, 9, and 10 of the annexed drawings thetraveling belts of brushes 0 and O, P and P, Q and Q of each pair ofbrushes shown at Figs. 8, 9, and 10 travel in the same direction but atdifferent speeds. This other mode of operating our said inventionconsists in actuating the driving-shafts D and D with belt-pulleys L andM of different diameters upon which the open belt N N, Figs. 8, 9, and10, is carried or driven. The

brush-belt pulleys O O, P P, and Q Q on at velocities corresponding withthe rate of rotation of the driving-shafts D and D, so the drivenpulleys on the shafts D and D are rotated at different velocities. Bythis ar rangement it is obvious that while each belt of brushes of eachpair of belt-brushes is driven in the same direction, yet each belt ofeach pair of belt-brushes is atthesametime driven at a diflerentvelocity.

It is to be understood that although we have in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, andof the annexed drawings shown three pairs of belt-brushes O O, P P, andQ Q, and three stationary brushes P for operating in a brushing andcleaning machine simultaneously that our invention is not restricted tothe use of three pairs of brushes, but that when used in connection witha grader, such as is hereinbefore described and shown at Figs. 6 and 7for separating the fruit into three grades or sizes that then thebrushing and cleaning part of our machine must be provided with threesets of brushes and their connected mechanism operating in the two modeshereinbefore described.

It is to be understood that when the fruit is of such an average orgeneral size throughout a considerable quantity thereof, in such casethe brushing and cleaning part of our mechanism may consist of one setof traveling and stationary brushes and their'relative and connectedoperating parts operating in either mode hereinbefore described. It isalso to be understood that the feeding andgrading rollers hereinbeforedescribed and shown more especially at Figs. 6 and 7 may be driven inany suitable or convenient manner; but that the arrangement of groovedpulleys and ropes on the ends of the feeding-roller and on the ends ofthe grading-rollers moving in the direction of the arrows, moreespecially shown at Fig. 7, constitutes an exceedingly convenient andpracticable method of driving our feed and grading rollers; also, that abelt or rope tightening device consisting of the slotted bearing a,pulley f, and suspension-weight it is used for the purpose of takingupany slack of the belt g Whenever such slackening takes place.

In addition to the several features of the invention hereinbeforedescribed and shown upon the annexed sheets of drawings it is to beunderstood that an essential feature of our present invention consistsin the movable brushes being placed at angles in opposite directions,while the lower brush is a flat brush.

Having now described the nature of our said invention and the bestsystem, mode, or manner we are at present acquainted with for carryingthe same into practical effect, we desire to observe in conclusion thatwhat we consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as theinvention to be secured to us by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. The fruit brushing and cleaning machine, consisting of thecombination of a pair of driving-shafts, one of which is carried instationary bearings fixed to the upper part of the framing of themachine, the belts or bands of angularly-situated brushes, inclined inopposite directions'and downward over a flat nontraveling brush, thedriving shaft and pulleys whereof one pulley of each pair of pulleys iskeyed to its driving-shaft, and the corresponding pulley of the otherpair of pulleys is carried loosely upon the other driving-shaft, andarranged so that the traveling brushes and one of the driving-shafts maybe moved upward angularly so as to separate the traveling brushes fromthe flat stationary brushes; the flat stationary brushes; the adjustablebearings for tightening the belts of brushes, the mechanism for gradingthe fruit consisting of adjustable grading rollers inclined transverselywith the hopper, and in opposite directions of inclination, spaces atthe ends and beneath each grading-roller, and provided with inclinedpartitions in the feed-hopper for directing the graded fruit into thefeedducts of the brushing mechanism, the feedducts, all substantially ashereinbefore de- .scribed.

52. In a fruit brushing and cleaning machine the traveling brushes andpulleys arranged in pairs, with traveling brushes inclined to each otherand downward over a flat non-traveling brush, substantially ashereinbefore described.

3. In a feed-hopper of a fruit brushing and cleaning machine theadjustable inclined grading-rollers with a space beneath them throughwhich the smaller fruit passes while the larger fruit travels along thegrading-rollers, and having in connection with each roller an inclinedpartition, said inclined partition leading or directing the graded fruitinto the divisions or ducts of the feed-hopper connected with thebrushing-machine, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals, in thepresence of subscribing witnesses, this 24th day of October, A. D. 1901.

EARL HOLMES RICHARDSON. [1 8.] FRANK JAMES KIMBALL. [L. s]

Witnesses to Earl Holmes Richardson:

M. F. PALMER, ST. JOHN DAY.

Witnesses to Frank James Kimball:

B. M. WILKINS, W. E. MURRAY.

